In "Holding Out for a Hero", Bonnie Tyler sings of a knight on a white horse, of a "fast", "strong" man coming to "sweep me off my feet". These sentiments are echoed in other songs by other artists, and throughout the genre of film, as well. Countless movies depict a girl or woman needing to be rescued by a man, or wanting to fall in love, searching for Prince Charming. Katie Calautti, in a November 4, 2010 article for Newsweek, asks, "where are all the strong female characters in kids' films?" She goes through a list of children's films, ranging from the more recent "Megamind" (2010) to Disney's iconic "Snow White" (1937). Having seen all but two of the films mentioned by Calautti, I can agree with her point: "For decades, the majority of female characters in cartoons and family films have been mostly stuck behind the macho lead, baring their midriffs and looking like Barbie dolls." Actress Geena Davis researched trends in female characters in this film genre, and found that "roughly 25 percent of the female characters are shown in sexy, tight, alluring clothes (usually with exposed skin between mid-chest and upper thigh). Their most common occupation is being a royal, and their aspirations are limited almost exclusively to finding romance." Sounds like something every young girl should aspire to, right?

An example given by Calautti is Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) in 2001 film, "The Princess Diaries". Mia is a nerdy, unpopular teenager who, upon finding out that her grandmother is the queen of a small country (thereby making Mia a princess), undergoes a radical makeover. Her physical change makes her popularity skyrocket, and she even gets a kiss by her "prince charming". While this storyline could been seen as showcasing the superficial importance of physical appearance, I think it is much more than that. Mia finds out that it doesn't matter what she looks like, her true friends stick by her. And as far as the regality is concerned, she learns that being a princess means more than looking the part and following rules of etiquette. It means taking responsibility and caring for other people, people who count on her to make good, sound choices. I think that's a good lesson for everyone to learn.

Another choice, a surprising choice, by Calautti is Princess Jasmine, from Disney's 1992 film "Aladdin". "Jasmine’s body shape, her position of royalty, her clothing options (belly shirts galore) and her lack of control over her future all qualify her as the patron saint of misrepresented females in a family film." First of all, Jasmine's lack of control over her life is indicative of the movie's setting. In the middle east, where "Aladdin" takes place, women were not (and still aren't) in charge of their own destiny. But Jasmine did make one escape attempt, climbing over the palace walls, and went on the midnight magic carpet ride with Aladdin. She did, at least, try to master her own destiny.

There are strong, beautiful, smart women depicted in children's film and literature, such as Wonder Woman and Cat Woman. Although these women still fit Calautti's image of women in tight, revealing clothing, the fact remains that they are strong, independent women who take control and quite frankly, look good doing it. Girls and even women need to be reminded that they don't have to be overtly sexy or sappily romantic or weak just to find true love and live their lives. By being themselves, by being intelligent, and yes, by taking pride in how they look, women everywhere can take control of their lives and even find their Prince Charming (white horse not included).